Automobile door joint scuff plate



Feb. 20, 1951 A T, H, CORE 2,542,181

AUTOMOBILE DOOR JOINT SCUFF PLATE Filed June 1l, 1947 INVENTOR. ,J70/56* Co/ef.

Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to an automobile door joint scuif plate and has for its principal object, to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive plate of thin material such as metal or plastics, and which receives and protects the lower portion of the combined finishing cord and weather strip that covers the joint between the door and door post or frame on the inside of the vehicle and which plate also covers and protects a substantial area of the lining panel or fabric which covers the inner face of the door post immediately adjacent the lower portion of said cord.

The parts covered by my improved plates are subject to considerable scuing and resultant dislodgment, wear and discoloration as a result of Contact with the shoes of persons entering and leaving the car and my improved plates are designed for counteracting these undesirable results.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an interior perspective View of portions of an automobile door side wall and floor and showing one of the scuif plates in position for use.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of one of the scuff plates.

Fig. 3 is atop plan view.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig; 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the scuff plate.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, I0 designates the car door, I I the floor, I2 the door post, I3 the panel or inner wall which is secured to post I2 and I4, the finish cord or weatherstrip which overlies the joint between the edges of door I0 and post I2.

This cord comprises a core I5, generally a rubber tube covered with fabric I6, the edges of which are brought together and overlaid by a thin strip I1 of metal, which together with the edges of the fabric are suitably secured to the inner face of door post I2.

The parts just described are conventional.

My improved scuff plate which may be formed from thin metal or plastics, comprises a plate I8, with a channel I9 formed on one vertical edge and an ear projecting at right angles from the lower edge to form a foot 20. This foot may be provided with one or more apertures such as 2l, for reception of a tack, thus anchoring the plate to floor I I.

The body of plate I8 to the side of channel I9 has a plurality of arcuate ribs 22 pressed therein, thus materially stiifening said plate and imparting thereto a pleasing decorative ellect.

Pressed from plate I8 near its center and adjacent channel I9, is a short tongue 23 which, when the plate is applied for use, is positioned between the edges of the cord covering fabric I6 thus increasing the stability of the joint or connection between cord I4 and the scuff plate.

When my improved scuff plate is installed, it overlies that corner of the side wall inner panel which overlies the lower portion of door post I2, with the lower portion of cord I4, occupying channel I9, with foot 20 positioned beneath the floor mat M, and secured to the floor board, by a tack driven through aperture 2 I.

In such position, the plate provides substantial protection against scung, dislodgment and discoloration of the lower portion of cord I4 and lower portion of the Wall panel I3, as a result of contact by the shoes worn by persons entering and leaving the vehicle.

The modified form of scuff plate illustrated in Fig. 6, comprises a substantially rectangular plate 25, provided at one end with a channel 26, which receives the lower end of cord I4, With an inclined ange 21 on the opposite end and which lies beneath the edge of the floor mat on the inclined portion of the floor board and on its lower edge, With a foot 28, which underlies the floor mat and is secured to the floor board by a tack or the like.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a sculf plate for automobile door joints, that is simple in structure, inexpensive of manufacture and very eifective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

Various changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved scuff plate may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A scuff plate comprising a vertical plate, a cord receiving channel on one end of said plate, a cord engaging tongue pressed from the metal in said plate toward said channel, an inclined flange at the opposite end of said vertical plate, and a foot extending at right angles from said vertical plate between said cord receiving channel and inclined plate.`

THOMAS H. CORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,894,102 Kuenzel Jan. 10, 1933 2,165,399 McCormick July 11, 1939 2,218,814 Duffy Oct. 22, 1940 2,319,709 Spraragen May 18, 1943 2,348,648 Reid May 9, 1944 

